


Joyeux Noël

by SloaneDestler



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux, Phantom of the Opera - Lloyd Webber
Genre: Angst, Canon Era, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Presents, Contest Entry, Crying, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Holiday Writing Challenge, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Love, Love Confessions, Marriage, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Phantoms Holiday Challenge, Some Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:14:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28375242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SloaneDestler/pseuds/SloaneDestler
Summary: Erik and Christine are celebrating their first Christmas together after she marries him under duress, but they each have very different ideas about what would make the occasion happy for the other. My entry for notaghost3's Phantom's Holiday One-Shot Challenge.
Relationships: Christine Daaé/Erik | Phantom of the Opera
Comments: 18
Kudos: 59





	Joyeux Noël

**Author's Note:**

> Why write one Christmas story when you can write two? Happy Holidays, everyone!

Christine Daaé checked her appearance in her mirror one final time, admiring the gorgeous diamond necklace her husband had given her as an early Christmas gift. Erik had presented her with the sunburst pendant on a delicate gold chain, as well as the elaborate blue gown she was wearing, the evening before so she could wear them both to le Réveillon de Noël he was preparing for her tonight.

Although this Christmas Eve would be different from any other she had known, she was very much looking forward to the wonderful meal she knew Erik would prepare for her, although she was sad that she would not be going to mass beforehand. However, the relationship between them had already improved so much over the months since they had wed, Christine now had hope that by next Christmas, things would be normal enough between them that she would be able to attend services.

Picking up the small box which contained her present for Erik, Christine stood and contemplated their relationship as she waited for him to arrive to escort her to dinner. Although she had married him purely under duress, to save Raoul’s life as well as countless others, things had... _changed_ between them as time went on.

Although Erik hadn’t mentioned Christine resuming her opera career, they had restarted her vocal lessons, and after these months together, her voice had never been stronger. And there had been another outcome from their lessons, one she hadn’t thought possible until it happened: she began to truly process that Erik and the Voice were one and the same, and she remembered more and more how important the Voice had once been to her, how it was her only friend for so long.

But it was another thing that Erik had done for her that had truly started to change her feelings for him. Knowing how important Mamma Valérius was to Christine, he had escorted her to see the elderly lady regularly, although he had not trusted her to go alone, always donning one of his disguises and waiting for her in the drawing room while they had their visits. And although Christine didn’t know _how_ he knew, Erik had somehow learned when her mamma’s time to leave the earth was imminent, and he had taken Christine to be with her in her last moments.

If Erik had kept her from Mamma Valérius, it would have been easier for Christine to continue to harden her heart against him, but he hadn’t. And it was on that last trip to her mamma’s home that Christine had collected some items that had immense personal significance to her, including the one she planned to give to Erik tonight.

As he knocked politely on her door, Christine thought of the other thing she had planned for the evening: tonight, she was going to tell Erik that she loved him.

*****

“Good evening, Christine,” Erik greeted her, “you look ravishing, as always.”

Smiling up at him, she replied, “Thank you, Erik. You look very dashing yourself.”

Remarkably, she wasn’t lying. Erik had started wearing better-fitting suits at her gentle encouragement, and the one he was wearing tonight flattered his slender frame quite well. Also, she was encouraged to notice that instead of one of his leather or porcelain masks, Erik was wearing a black silk one. Christine hoped that meant he actually intended to eat some of the meal he had prepared. Maybe her hopes for this night hadn’t been unfounded.

She noticed Erik’s gaze straying to the small box she carried several times, but he made no comment on it. Hoping he wouldn’t be upset that she had helped herself to some of the paper he used to write his sheet music on to wrap it in, Christine decided to wait to officially present it to him when he gave her the rest of her Christmas gift.

When Erik had given her the gown and necklace yesterday, she had thanked him, stunned by how beautiful they were, but her husband had merely laughed. “Oh, Christine, this isn’t even the best gift that Erik has for you.”

In spite of herself, Christine was so intrigued that she tried to cajole Erik into telling her what else he had gotten her, but he refused to be moved from his stance, although she thought he had seemed to enjoy her gentle teasing.

“No, no, Christine must wait until tomorrow night,” he’d said sternly, but she noticed his thin lips curving just slightly.

Erik escorted her into the sitting room, where she saw he had set up a table in front of the fireplace for their feast, admiring the embroidered cloth and pine boughs he had adorned it with. Before she let Erik help her into her chair, she took a moment to gaze at the crèche she had previously arranged on the mantle. It had been one of Madame Valérius’ prize possessions, and Christine had been sure to take it with her when she left her guardian’s house for the last time. Seeing it made her feel closer to her dear mamma.

On a whim, she set Erik’s gift next to the crèche. It felt right to leave it there during their réveillon.

And Erik truly had prepared a feast for her. After pouring her some of his very fine wine, he presented her with their first course, which consisted of oysters in butter. And to Christine’s delight, he did sample them, even if sparingly.

In fact, Erik ate at least a little of everything he had prepared, Christine realized during dinner. After the oysters, they had chicken that Erik had stuffed with chestnuts, followed by a selection of cheeses. At this point, Christine felt sure that she couldn’t eat another bite, but when Erik brought out a lovely chocolate sponge cake, she found that she could after all. Incredibly, her husband even sampled a tiny sliver from the cake.

“Thank you for eating with me, Erik.” Although it may have seemed like a small thing to some, actually sharing a meal with Erik, no matter how little he ingested, made Christine feel as though her life was slightly more _normal,_ eating together like any husband and wife.

Erik seemed to like her thanks. “Of course! It pleased Christine to eat with her Erik, then?” When she smiled and nodded slightly, she could see the slightest grin on Erik’s thin lips as he rose and came over to her to politely help her up from her chair. While he took some dishes back to the kitchen, she retrieved Erik’s present and took a seat on the settee to wait for him.

When he joined her there a few minutes later, Christine couldn’t help but notice that Erik still didn’t seem to be carrying a present for her, even though he had mentioned having another one for her several times. Not sure what to make of that, she noticed his gaze had strayed to the small box she was holding. 

“Here,” she said, handing it to him. “Merry Christmas, Erik.”

Erik merely stared at the box blankly. “What is this, Christine?”

Was he angry that she had helped herself to some of his sheet music paper? Confidence fading a little, she gamely pushed on. “Why, it’s your Christmas present. From me,” she added unnecessarily.

Still staring at the box in his hand, Erik spoke so quietly it was nearly a whisper. “Christine...got this for Erik?” At her gentle nod, tears started to form in his eyes. “Erik has never had a Christmas present before.”

Although on some level his words didn’t come as much of a surprise to her, Christine felt her heart break at Erik’s sad statement, but she tried to keep her tone light before they both began crying in earnest. “Well, then, what are you waiting for, Erik? Don’t you want to open it?”

After thinking her words over for a few moments, Erik gave a single nod before removing the paper from the present. He removed the pocket watch from the box and merely held it silently, seeming to study it in detail.

His silence made Christine nervous. Did he not like it? With a sinking feeling, she imagined looking at the piece as if through Erik’s eyes. While she only thought of the watch in terms of sentimental value, the truth was it was nothing very fine. In fact, now that she thought of it, Erik had several pocket watches already, all more fancy than this one. “I’m sorry,” she said as she looked down, “you don’t like it-”

“No!” her husband interrupted her loudly. “Erik likes it very much! He is just...surprised that Christine gave him such a lovely gift.”

“Oh!” Feeling relieved that Erik liked her heartfelt gift after all, Christine smiled. “It belonged to Professor Valérius. My mamma wanted me to give it to my husband someday, and now I have.” As Erik continued to admire the watch, Christine continued, “I wish I had something of my father’s to give you, but of course there is nothing.” As her gaze became slightly clouded, she concluded, “There are times I wish he hadn’t been buried with his violin, but it seemed right at the time, and I was just a child who didn’t know she might wish to have it with her one day.”

Erik tore his gaze from the watch at her tone. Obviously sensing that her mood had turned melancholy with thoughts of her dear father, he inquired, “Shall Erik play for you, my dear?” When Christine nodded and wiped her eyes, Erik rose and retrieved his violin.

Listening to her husband’s beautiful music, Christine felt hope rise in her, even more than she had felt before. Maybe they _would_ be all right, no matter how terribly this marriage had started.

When Erik finished playing and had rejoined her on the sofa, Christine gave him a beaming smile. “Erik, that was so lovely, as usual. Was that the rest of my Christmas present?”

Erik smiled slightly, obviously pleased by her compliment. “No, no, Erik has something else for Christine. You’ll like it even more than the music, he believes.”

While Christine truly tried to remain unmoved by material possessions, sometimes it was hard, and the thought that Erik had something for her that was even better than the gown, the necklace, _and_ his beautiful music was starting to get the better of her. “What is it, Erik? When do I get it?” Although she wanted to cringe a little at how uncouth her questions were, Erik merely chuckled.

“Ah, my Christine, so eager for her present! Very well, Erik can deny you nothing, you know.” Turning to face her fully, he gazed into her eyes until she was barely able to stop herself from squirming in anticipation.

“What is it Erik? It’s not nice to tease me, you know!”

Dipping his head slightly to acknowledge her statement, Erik finally revealed the gift he had been promising her. “Erik’s gift to Christine is her freedom.”

Christine suddenly felt as though her stomach had dropped to the floor. “What?” she asked dumbly.

“Christine is free! Free to go, she will never have to see Erik again,” he announced as though imparting wonderful news.

“You...want me to go? To never see each other again?” How could this be happening?

“Yes,” he announced in a manner that she could only describe as _proud._ How could he be so hurtful?

As Christine merely gazed at him dully, with no idea what to say or do, it seemed Erik suddenly had a further idea.

Reaching for the box containing the pocket watch she had just given him, he handed it to her. “You should take this, too. Christine would want it to remember the professor by.”

Taking her heartfelt gift back from him, Christine sat there for a long moment before she burst into tears and stood up to run into her bedroom.

*****

Erik blinked in confusion as Christine started sobbing before turning to flee from him. Was she crying tears of joy at finally being free of him? The brief glimpse of her face before she ran from him hadn’t looked particularly joyful - although he was certainly no expert on happiness.

Hesitant, he rose, wondering if he should follow her. Surely she wouldn’t want him to? And it might not be wise for his own self-control.

Telling Christine she was free to leave and resume her life without him was the hardest thing he had ever had to do in a life that had been nothing but one hardship after the other. He feared that he might lose control and go back on his word if he spent much more time with her. No, it was best to let her go gracefully and let his last memories with her be of this beautiful night together.

Still Erik found himself moving to the doorway, telling himself he was merely retreating to his bedroom. When he reached the hallway, though, he stiffened at the heart-rending sobs that were coming from Christine’s room. Unable to help himself, he stopped at her partially open door. Why was his beautiful girl weeping like this, when she should be thrilled to finally be free of him? Concerned that she might make herself ill at this rate, he paused, unsure of what to do.

*****

When Christine reached her bedroom, she immediately collapsed on the bed and buried her face in a pillow, letting her pain and grief pour out of her. How had her life come to this? What a fool she was, wanting to confess her love to Erik just as he was essentially throwing her out on the street with nothing. While he was nothing if not enigmatic, this decision from him was almost incomprehensible to her.

She had to admit, one possibility she had never considered was that Erik might tire of her. Christine realized now that she had always had confidence that no matter what she did or how she treated him, Erik would always desire her in his life.

Considering the lengths he had gone to to tie her to him, she didn’t think that was such an unfounded assumption, but now that she had realized she was happy with him, Erik was no longer interested in her. As another thought occurred to her, Christine found herself sobbing even harder.

Maybe Erik had never loved her. Maybe he actually hated her. That was the only explanation she could think of for how cruelly he was treating her.

*****

As Erik hovered near her door, listening to Christine cry as though her heart was breaking, he couldn’t stop himself from going to her side, even though he made it a point to always give her her privacy in this room.

Unsure, he paused by the bed, holding a hand out toward her before pulling it back. “Christine?” he asked hesitantly. “Are you well?”

His beloved stiffened at his voice. Without looking at him, she cried, “Go away,” but the effect was ruined by the way her voice quavered.

“Erik can’t go away if Christine needs help,” he said reasonably, but that just seemed to make her cry harder.

Now she did roll on her side to face him. “I don’t want your help! You’ve done quite enough! You’ve ruined my life, and now that you’ve succeeded at that, you're throwing me out with nothing.”

Suddenly realizing why she was upset, Erik hastened to explain himself. “No, no, Christine, Erik would never leave you with nothing. He has procured your mamma’s apartment for you to move back into, and you will be able to sing at the opera again, Erik will make sure of it. Christine will have everything she needs.”

Erik’s words confused Christine so much that she stopped crying. “Why? If you’re throwing me out, why do you care whether I have what I need or not? It’s obvious that you don’t love me any longer. I swear, Erik, I’ll never understand you.”

Seemingly unaware of what he was doing, Erik sank down to sit on the side of the bed, staring at her with a pained look on his face. “No, Christine, I do love you. That’s why I told you you were free. Erik realized he couldn’t be happy if his Christine is so unhappy here.” After his confession, he bowed his head, seemingly overcome with emotion.

Unable to contain her wildly vacillating emotions, Christine gave up trying and simply launched herself at her husband, throwing her arms around him. Erik stiffened in shock, but didn’t pull away from her. Laying her head against his chest, she confessed, “Erik, I’m not unhappy. I was at first, because you didn’t give me a choice, but the truth is that I love you. I think on some level I always have.”

Erik could barely process the words that Christine was uttering. Had he finally gone fully mad? How else to explain what he thought he was hearing? Pulling back from her a little, he tipped her chin up, taking in her slightly red nose and long eyelashes, spiky with the tears she had cried. While his little wife had never looked sweeter, he didn’t think he would imagine her like this if he was hallucinating.

“Christine, you...love Erik? Love me? Do you want to stay here?”

Earnestly, she nodded. “Yes, I do. I love you, and I want to stay here, with my husband.” Slowly she reached her arms up around his neck and raised her face to his. Afraid he was misreading her, Erik slowly lowered his head toward hers, pausing when a few inches separated their lips.

Her head spinning with everything that had been confessed between them, Christine knew only that she wanted to kiss her husband. When Erik paused, she leaned up to cross this last distance between them and pressed her lips to his, kissing him sweetly, thrilling to the feeling of his arms hesitantly encircling her.

Some time later, they broke apart to gasp for breath, but Christine noted with satisfaction that Erik’s arms remained tightly around her. Again laying her head against his chest, she sighed in satisfaction.

“Christine?” Erik said her name as a question.

“Yes?”

“Do you think - could Erik still have the watch?”

Christine closed her eyes tightly against a rush of fresh tears. Apparently Erik hadn’t hated her gift, after all. “Yes, of course. I want you to have it,” she replied, her voice wavering just slightly.

“Good, good.” After a few moments of silence, Erik spoke again, his masked cheek still pressed against her blonde curls. “Is there anything else Christine wants, even if she does choose to stay with Erik? He only wishes to make her happy.”

“Well, actually, when you mentioned me singing at the opera again, I have to admit, I would quite like that. This entire, well, situation, between us started with you promising to help me become a prima donna one day, you know.”

Christine could feel Erik nod against her curls. “Yes, if that will make Christine happy, of course.”

Suddenly suspicious, she raised her head a little. “But, Erik, you must promise not to interfere this time. I’ll succeed on my own, or not at all.”

When he remained stubbornly silent, she sighed. “Erik, please, you asked what would make me happy.”

He let out a long sigh. “Fine, yes, Christine, Erik promises - I promise - not to interfere on your behalf. Although I assume you are not opposed to continuing your lessons with me?”

Smiling now that he had agreed with her, she nodded a little, still pressed against him. “Yes, of course.” Sensing that she had an advantage with Erik right now, she decided to press on. “Also, what would you think about finding a priest to marry us?” When Erik stiffened, she gave him a little squeeze. “I know it would be difficult for you, but will you at least consider it? For me?”

Sounding as though the words were being dragged out of him, Erik murmured, “If Christine wants a church wedding, Erik will find a way to make it happen.”

When Christine leaned up and gave him a quick kiss in thanks, she noticed the pained look in his eyes lessened a bit. Maybe they really were going to find a way to make this marriage work.

As she drifted happily, still held in Erik’s arms, he suddenly asked her one more question. “Christine, I really did purchase your mamma’s apartment. Would you rather we live there than here?”

At this, she did draw back from him, staring up at him with wide eyes. “Erik, do you mean it? You would really do that?”

Christine could read the truth in his eyes before he answered her. “Yes, Christine, for you Erik could live above the ground again, like a normal man.”

Squeezing her eyes against the tears that threatened yet again, Christine threw her arms around her husband’s neck once more. As their lips met, Christine’s thoughts turned to their future, something she never could have imagined just a short while ago. No, Erik would never be truly normal. But with him, she had love and music; what did she care for normalcy?

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story! Thanks for reading it, and feel free to let me know what you thought if you would like!


End file.
